Top tips for Professional Costume Character Performers

January 30, 2019

Professional costume character performing is a unique, rewarding profession. And, while representing a character or brand isn’t easy, it is great fun! Actors who are masters of their craft effortlessly bring an audience’s favourite cartoon celebrity to life, creating an amazing atmosphere for children and adults alike.

All character costume artists are auditioned, cast and trained by Rainbow Productions to ensure you always get an all-star performer. Of course, it’s also important that the actors love what they do. The professional character performers we work with are all talented individuals who love nothing more than making other people happy through their work. They genuinely care about the brands they represent.

It may be daunting for performers-in-training to imagine performing in-costume for the first time. But, with the right training, some help from experienced actors, hard work and dedication, you’ll be attracting and delighting audiences of all types in no time!

Our training workshops offer new performers the opportunity to learn from our experienced team who can guide you through some of the key skills required to be a fun, engaging, popular and safe mascot:

Here are just a few things to keep in mind when trying to become a character performer:

Learn to communicate without words – The magic of a costumed character is all in the action and it can be good fun training to communicate with gestures alone. A good actor will physicalize words to convey actions and words/phrases.

Know your audience – In order to really grab the attention of the crowd, you have to be empathetic to each individual person. While some people will be keen for play fights and hugs, others might want to interact differently.

Stay fit – You always know when you’ve had a good performance because you’ll be exhausted afterwards. From running to jumping, character performing requires a lot of movement. The more in shape you are, the more energy you’ll have to have fun with your audience.

Be emotional – By rubbing your eyes, slapping your thighs or standing with your hands on your hips, you’ll be able to convey emotion without actually talking. This is your way to communicate with the audience. When you’re happy, skip and clap. Looking for sympathy? Bow your head and hunch your shoulders.

Stay in character – There is nothing that ruins the magic of a character performance more than an audience member spotting a half-dressed actor. Remember, you’re in character until you’re completely out of sight from the audience. Keep the dream alive!

HAVE FUN! – This is the most important piece of advice we could offer. When you’re performing, entertaining and spreading the joy of your character, people are looking to you to create a fun, memorable experience. Make sure you deliver.

Want some more information about our character performers or costumes? Get in touch with the experts here at Rainbow Productions. We’ve been helping our customers create costumes and experiences for decades.